The governing board of any school district offering work experience education pursuant to the authority of Section 51760 shall grant credit to pupils satisfactorily completing a work experience education program, in an amount not to exceed a total of 40 semester credits, of which no more than 10 credits may be conferred in any one semester, provided the pupil meets all of the following requirements:

(a) At the time of enrollment, the pupil is at least 16 years of age. Pupils under the age of 16 years may receive credit for work experience education under the following conditions:

(1) The pupil is enrolled in grade 11 or a higher grade.

(2) The principal of the school in which the pupil is enrolled certifies that the pupil is in need of immediate work experience education in order to pursue employment opportunities.

(3) The principal of the school in which the pupil is enrolled certifies that there is a probability that the pupil will no longer be enrolled as a full-time pupil without being provided the opportunity to enroll in a work experience education program.

(4) The pupil is at least 14 years of age and the principal in the school in which the pupil is enrolled certifies that it is necessary for the pupil’s participation in a career technical education program.

(5) The pupil’s individualized education program, adopted pursuant to the requirements of Part 30 (commencing with Section 56000), prescribes the type of training for which participation in a work experience program is deemed appropriate.

(b)  During the course of the pupil’s enrollment in the program, the pupil receives as a minimum the equivalent of one instructional period per week of classroom instruction or counseling by a certificated employee. The instruction or counseling shall be offered in sessions scheduled intermittently throughout the semester.

(c) The work experience education program meets all of the requirements of law governing these programs.

(Amended by Stats. 2016, Ch. 72, Sec. 1. (AB 2063) Effective January 1, 2017.)